Born on a plantation in the small town of Itta Bena, Mississippi, B. B. King (born Riley B. King, September 16, 1925–May 14, 2015) rose to prominence to become one of the most influential blues musicians and electric guitarists of the 20th century. Throughout his career, he was constantly pushing the sounds of blues to new levels, introducing his own style of guitar playing that would shape the sounds of rock and roll, R&B, soul, funk, and many other genres of music, earning himself the well-deserved nickname "The King of Blues." He famously named his guitars named his favorite guitar "Lucille" and gifted it to Pope John Paull II in 1997. Additionally, he was a well-known associate of Elvis Presley, of whom King spoke highly. On May 14, 2015, he passed away at the age of 89 due to complications from type 2 diabetes. He was buried at the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Mississippi.